The development of investigative journalism in Africa has resulted in reporting that has set the news agenda and exposed concerns that have previously gone unnoticed by the mainstream media. Even under the best of circumstances, working as a journalist in Africa has unique hurdles. Nonetheless, journalists throughout the continent continue to discover new methods to serve their viewers, continually producing a slew of outstanding tales. In this article, we will honor those journalists who have best-represented journalism on the African continent.
Anas Aremeyaw Anas
Anas Aremeyaw Anas is an undercover journalist, attorney, and private investigator operating in Ghana and around Africa. He is the principal correspondent for Al Jazeera’s Africa Investigates documentary series. In disguise, he enters asylums, brothels, jails, orphanages, and villages, where he meticulously obtains evidence for criminal prosecution. The United States State Department honored him with the Hero Award in 2008 for his efforts in uncovering a human trafficking organization in Western Africa. From October to December 2016, Anas stepped beyond the realm of investigative journalism to advocate for peace via his “Anas4Peace” multimedia campaign. These videos, jingles, and interactive social media postings brought together 22 non-aligned Ghanaian celebrities to appeal for peace throughout the election time.
Wanjohi Kabukuru
Kabukuru is the Eastern African reporter for New African, the oldest pan-African English-language monthly magazine produced in London and distributed in over 100 countries. He also contributes to Diplomat East Africa, the major East African regional diplomatic affairs publication, covering environmental and security issues. Prior to becoming an international journalist, he worked as an investigative reporter for The People’s Daily in Kenya, covering human rights and environmental justice. Kabukuru writes for Radio France International (RFI), the Mail and Guardian, and the Inter Press Service, among other publications. His reporting has earned multiple accolades, and he is a former editor of Seychelles’ Zwazo magazine. Kabukuru has given papers at media conferences all over the world and is a member of various international professional media organizations.
Figure 2 – Portrait of Wanjohi Kabukuru. Source – Google
Barry Streek
Barry Streek was a South African anti-apartheid activist and political journalist. Barry Streek was schooled at Michaelhouse in Kwazulu-Natal before joining the South African navy in 1966 to do his national duty. National service was necessary for all white men of a particular age in South Africa at the time. Streek studied politics and law at Rhodes University in Grahamstown from 1967 to 1970, while also writing to the Daily Dispatch and other media. Streek was noted as a journalist for a variety of South African publications for describing and exposing the detrimental consequences of the apartheid administration. Streek spent 25 years of his lengthy career as a political journalist in the Parliamentary Press Gallery in Cape Town. Streek spent most of this period working for South African associated newspapers, which included the Cape Times, the Eastern Province Herald, the Rand Daily Mail, the Sunday Express, and the Sunday Times. Streek served as chairwoman, vice-chairperson, and president of the Cape Town Press Club at various periods. In 2001, he was appointed as Parliament’s media manager before returning to the press gallery as a reporter for the Mail & Guardian newspaper. Following that, he became the editor-in-chief of the publishing firm Jonathan Ball.
Figure 3 – Portrait of Barry Streek with Nelson Mandela. Source – WikipediaBarbara Among
Barbara Among is an Uganda-based freelance journalist. She has written on the Great Lakes region’s conflict, politics, business, human rights, and terrorism. She also publishes articles on health and the environment. She has written for Uganda’s national Daily Monitor and New Vision newspapers, and her work is now published in the East African Daily. Her writing has also featured in the Guardian (UK), Observer (UK), Independent (UK), Reuters, and Kenya’s Daily Nation newspaper. Among is a recipient of the famous David Astor Journalism Award as well as the Uganda Investigative Journalism Award.
Figure 4 – Portrait of Barbara Among. Source – Google
Ruth First
Ruth began her career as a writer and then editor of a variety of progressive journals in the 1940s and 1950s, including People’s World, The South African Guardian (later the Clarion), and Fighting Talk monthly magazine. First concentrated on labor problems and produced in-depth political investigative reporting in addition to writing about social inequities and township life. It was through this activity that she met some of the key figures in the developing struggle movement, including her future husband, Joe Slovo of the South African Communist Party. First was harassed by the apartheid authorities and got multiple bans on her work. When she couldn’t find places to publish her journalism, she became a full-fledged activist. Her thorough coverage of the 1956 women’s anti-pass march in Pretoria was widely distributed across the world, drawing attention to the evils of the apartheid regime. First, along with Nelson Mandela and Slovo, was one of the 156 defendants in the Rivonia Trial. After being incarcerated for 117 days, she fled to London and became one of the most vocal anti-apartheid campaigners. In 1982, she was killed in Maputo by clandestine South African government agents.
Figure 5 – Portrait of Ruth First. Source – Google
Anand Subramanian is a freelance photographer and content writer based out of Tamil Nadu, India. Having a background in Engineering always made him curious about life on the other side of the spectrum. He leapt forward towards the Photography life and never looked back. Specializing in Documentary and Portrait photography gave him an up-close and personal view into the complexities of human beings and those experiences helped him branch out from visual to words. Today he is mentoring passionate photographers and writing about the different dimensions of the art world.
